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What component to hang on to?

Hello all,

So - the search for a new truck and house infrastructure needs make me consider selling off my main listening system. Having said that, I remain a consummate audiophile who knows I’ll eventually rebuild my system. However, I;’m thinking I should hold onto ONE element in the chain to serve as a building block for my future system. Any advice on what component to hold on to would be appreciated. Or sell all of them?

Components:

Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers (sold)

Hegel 160 integrated

Oppo 105 BDP

VPI HW-19 MK4 turntable with SAMA with Benz Micro Ace SH cartridge and Sumiko FT-3 tonearm

Jolida JD9 Mk 2 phono with Mullard tubes

AZ Tsunami IC’s

Decware Styx cables
simao

Showing 4 responses by simao

simao's avatar
simao OP
1,853 posts
 
Thanks, all. Based on everyone’s advice, I’m going to hang on to the VPI and start shedding the rest. My wife insists I don’t have to because we might not be in the financial position to ever rebuild it, but I disagree: there’s always financing :)

I do like the VPI’s warm sound. In fact, the AZ’s balanced it out quote nicely and the Hegel kept everything glued together. That Hegel is a gem, btw. There’s a bunch on Audiogon now as the 160 is discontinued and being replaced by a new model.

Btw - how about Oppo not making products anymore? What’s up with that? My 105 might be the last component I sell.

p.s. - cheers to @trelja for the most engaging post here.

pps - @instllouis - I'm in St. Louis, too. Would you be up for a listening session before things start going? I still have the AZ's until June.
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,853 posts
 
I have a pair of ASW 110's waiting to replace the AZ's. 

Abd im not stressed too much about making a killing off the other components.  Having said that, I'm also not going to let them go to tire kickers, either. I know summer is the off-season for high-end audio sales and at the market might be a buyers market now. So we'll see. 

Components, and components go. And I will rebuild the system eventually.
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,853 posts
 
I'm not particularly wedded to any component. I'd be happy tebuilding my system starting with a Well Tempered or a Rega 8 or even another VPI. 

But that HW-19 is exquisite. 
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,853 posts
 
So - the Hegel 160 is gone, sadly. What a beautiful component and well deserving of all the praise it received.

I replaced it with a forgotten Sony receiver I'd bought from Crutchfield a few years ago. Set it up, made all the IC and speaker connections (still the Adagios - which will be picked up by the buyer in a few weeks) and started with Roxy Music's "True to Life", followed by "More Than This."

Verdict: What you'd expect. Flat soundstage, little instrument separation, somewhat muddy presentation. The Adagios and the Oppo tried their best to present the music well, but were limited. Still, the Sony wasn't especially bad, considering what it was made for.
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